Thomas Dolby, the iconic '80s star whose smash hits 'She Blinded Me With Science' and 'Hyperactive' helped define the MTV generation/revolution, will break his 20-year silence with A Map of the Floating City. The album, featuring appearances by special guest artists Mark Knopfler, Regina Spektor, Natalie MacMaster, Bruce Woolley, Imogen Heap and Eddi Reader, will be will be released on Lost Toy People Records as a physical CD, and in a special Deluxe Edition featuring a second disc of instrumentals and bonus tracks. Of the album, which is divided into three parts, Dolby says, 'The new songs are organic and very personal. A Map of the Floating City is a travelogue across three imaginary continents: In Amerikana I'm reflecting with affection on the years I spent living in the U.S.A., and my fascination with its roots music. Urbanoia is a dark place, a little unsettling . . . I'm not a city person. And in Oceanea I return to my natural home on the windswept coastline.'
The Golden Age Of Wireless was Dolby's first album, recorded using primarily borrowed studio time and featuring musicians paid with funds raised by session work with other artists. A while after completion, it was picked up by EMI for the UK and by an EMI partner in the US resulting in anumber of variations before it's final release. This release has been restored to its original sequence, remastered and with the addition of a few peripheral songs and rarities along with the individual song notes, should help tell the complete story.
Thomas Dolby became one of the most recognizable figures of the synth-pop movement of early-'80s new wave. Dolby successfully harnessed the power of synthesizers and samplers, to make catchy pop and light electro-funk. Following the (1984) single Hyperactive, his career faded away, as he began producing more frequently, as well as exploring new synthesizer and computer technology. Dolby continued to record into the '90s, but by then, he was strictly a cult act.
The Flat Earth was Dolby s sophomore album release, in 1984, its sophisticated sound was a battle cry to any doubters, combining Dolby s signature keyboards into a more organic, layered sound. Hyperactive! the result of a bizarre evening spent at Michael Jackson's house -- bore the most fruit, repeating the success of ....Science in Britain, and scoring Thomas his first Top 20 hit in his home country.
The epic Dissidents felt most at home as a 12-inch revisits Dolby s love of cold war espionage, and at the other end of the spectrum, the haunting Dan Hicks ballad I Scare Myself is turned into a piano-led affair with a sexy, sultry video. The latter is a solo embodiment of the shimmering, breathy sound that would form the heart of the Prefab Sprout sound he was integral to creating - production values which he has said he ranks amongst his personal career highs.
16 tracks. Small crack in jewelbox lid. Shrinkwrap has small tears.
Aliens Ate My Buick Music Artist : Thomas Dolby Music Label : EMI Manhattan Records Release Date : 1998-10-27 Artistopia's Price :$11.98
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Album Summary
Out of print in the U.S., this is Dolby's 1988 album for EMIManhattan. Contains eight tracks, including the hit 'Hot Sauce', plus 'Airhead' and 'May The Cube Be With You'. 5.1 surround sound.
2009 two disc (CD + PAL/Region 0 DVD) pressing of this 2009 compilation from the British Synthpop maestro. Dolby began his musical career as a session musician for acts like Lene Lovich, The Buggles, Bruce Woolley and Foreigner before going solo in the early '80s as part of the growing Electronic music scene. With hits like 'Europe & The Pirate Twins', 'Airwaves' and 'She Blinded Me With Science', he mapped out a successful career as an artist, branching off into production. This collection contains 19 of his best tracks on the CD including the aforementioned tracks plus 'Hyperactive' and more. The DVD contains 19 videos, many of which were in constant rotation during MTV's early years. EMI.
* The electronic pioneer returns with two complete shows on CD & DVD in one deluxe package with extras that include a lecture at the Berklee School of Music.
* DVD region 0 (playable in all regions). Approx run time 90 min.
* Features the best of Thomas Dolby, including the hits "She Blinded Me With Science," "Hyperactive," and "Windpower," among others.
* Winner of a BT Digital Award for Outstanding Contribution to Digital Music.
* Musical director for David Bowie at Live Aid.
* Previous collaborations include Stevie Wonder, Dusty Springfield, Herbie Hancock, Ryuichi Sakamoto, George Clinton, and Joni Mitchell.
"Thomas Dolby's vocals are perfect, his playing legendary ... The Sole Inhabitant exists as an excellent intro to his work and a time capsule of his greatness." -- Future Music
"Fresh interpretations of his electro hits such as `She Blinded Me With Science' and `Hyperactive.'" -- Daily Record
"No one evokes the electronic mysteries of the global village more seductively than Thomas Dolby ... [the] English singer/songwriter and electronic wizard is more than a technopop maestro using synthesizer and computer technology to be trendy and futuristic; he is a romantically inclined composer and lyricist working to fuse electronic and acoustic music into a genuinely modern pop-symphonic style." -- Rolling Stone
12 X 12 Music Artist : Thomas Dolby Music Label : EMI Europe Generic Release Date : 1999-08-09 Artistopia's Price :$12.04
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Album Summary
A must for '80s/ new wave fans, this is a compilation of 12 original 12 inch remixes of hits by Dolby during his heyday. Many of the tracks are on CD for the first time! Includes 'One Of Our Submarines' (Extended Version), 'Hyperactive' (Heavy Brother Sub Version), 'Europa And The Pirate Twins' (Extended Version), 'She Blinded Me With Science' (Extended Version) and 'Hot Sauce' (Extended Version). 1999 release.
